Scott Morrison leaned on his faith in his department to explain the ‘critical failure’ of robodebt

Scott Morrison told the robodebt inquiry he never saw departmental legal advice on the scheme in 2014, that it was outrageous it wasn’t provided to him, and that if he had got it there would have been no robodebt. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Scott Morrison opposed the robodebt royal commission but when he appeared in person he said he was “happy” to assist.

Morrison was asked on Wednesday what he knew about the legal problems with the disastrous robodebt scheme he implemented as social services minister in 2015, agreed to expand as treasurer and defended as prime minister in 2019.